Racking system and device for pool balls

ABSTRACT

This invention discloses a system and device to rack pool balls more expeditiously and accurately. This is accomplished by supplying the triangular rack with a detachable bottom plate to form an enclosure to contain the balls. After the balls are contained in the enclosure, and said filled enclosure is on the pool table, the racker places the base of said filled triangular rack against the foot rail, then turns hand knobs located on top of said triangular rack which unlocks the bottom plate from said triangular rack; then proceeds to push said triangular rack with the contained balls forward with a rolling motion to the racking spot and off the bottom plate which is still abutted against the foot rail; then backs up said filled triangular rack against the front of said bottom plate for consistent, measured accuracy of the racking of pool balls.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention of a triangular rack with a bottom, detachable plate is designed to be used on all sizes of pocket and ball return pool tables. It is most advantageous for usage in pool parlors where tables are rented by the hour. The majority of these pool parlors, in the past and still at present had and have a cumbersome system for players going to the tables.

The cumbersome system is when a player goes to the operator and receives a tray of balls and takes them to a table, places the tray of balls on the table and looks and obtains a triangular rack and transfers the balls from the tray to the triangular rack. Then proceeds to rack the balls at an approximate racking spot. The racker cannot see the exact racking spot because the lead ball is blocking out the racking spot; so the racker will approximate said racking spot. The racker may roll the rack a little too forward or backward. In both events, the racker may also turn the rack a few degrees to the left or right, also causing an inaccurate racking of the balls.

This present invention will eliminate the inconveniences and inaccuracies.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR ART

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,285, Maceri shows a pool ball rack with a ball frame with a triangular plate defining an inner frame of which can retain a number of balls. Maceri's primary function in his invemtion is to load balls from below the top surface of the table and transfer the frame onto the top surface of the table for racking. This present invention does have a triangular plate to retain the balls within the device, but said triangular plate is utilized as a measuring template to guide the rack to the exact racking spot.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,404, Sardo shows hand grips on his racking device in which the primary purpose for the hand grips is to push the balls into the cloth so that the balls don't move after the rack is lifted. Sardo's patent does not reveal any other accuracy except for all the balls to be interconnected.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,649, Tudek shows a ball rack with a T-Square device connected to the rack for consistent accuracy when said T-Square is abutted against the foot rail. This present invention has the same accuracy but has more advantages, such as retaining balls to carry and transfer. It is more compact and easier to handle and store.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of this present invention is to provide a triangular rack as used on pool tables, in combination with a bottom, detachable plate to form an enclosure to hold pool balls in containment for a most accurate racking by utilizing said bottom plate as a measuring guage. Said plate can be of different lengths to accomodate the following size tables. Measuring from tip to tip of the rubber of the rails: 39″×78″, 44″×88″, 46″×92″ and 50″×100″.

Another object is to provide spring-loaded, hand knobs, resembling candle cups, located on top surface of the triangular rack for the purpose of manipulating the device to engage or disengage said triangular rack from said bottom plate. Attached to each said hand knobs is an extended rod that passes through a hole in the center of the vertical wall of said triangular rack and downwardly to a rectangular slot in said bottom plate. the extremity of said rod is bent to a flat, right angled hook. The width of said hook is the same size as said rectangular slot in said plate thus said hook will fit into said slot of said plate. When said spring-loaded, hand knobs are pushed downwardly, and when said hooks align with said slots of said plate and in this motion when said hand knobs are turned, said hooks will swing onto a hard surface of the underside of said plate to lock in said triangular rack with said plate. To disengage said plate from said rack, turning said hand knobs back to the original turn thus said hooks will pass through said bottom plate.

Yet another object is the provision of three small discs attached to and at the three corners of the underside of the bottom plate for the purpose of sliding the complete device on the cloth surface of a pool table with less friction.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent as the specification is considered with accompaying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the triangular rack.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device with the bottom plate shaded.

FIG. 3 is a bottom, plan view of the bottom plate.

FIG. 4 is a side, elevational view of one of the two sides of the triangular rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring more particularly to the drawings, as best shown in FIG. 1 numeral 1 shows the triangular rack with the hand knobs 2.

FIG. 2 shows the triangular rack 1 with the hand knobs 2 and the shaded, bottom plate 3.

FIG. 3 shows the shaded, bottom plate 3 and the slots 4 on each side of the bottom plate 3. The three small discs 9 are located on bottom plate 3 in a triangular configuration.

FIG. 4 shows an abbreviated size of one of the sides of the triangular rack 1 with one of the hand knobs 2 and directly under said hand knob 2 is a spiral spring 5. Passing through said triangular rack 1 and through said spiral spring 5 and embeded in said hand knob 2 is a rod 6 which is bent at a right angle to form a hook 7. The slot 8 in said triangular rack 1 is to receive and countersink said hook 7 when said spiral spring 5 is un-tensioned.

While a preferred embodiement of a racking system and device for pool tables is disclosed, it is to be understood that various changes and improvements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A ball rack device for use with a plurality of billiard or pool tables of varying size of the type having a table assembly wherein the device may be abutted against a foot rail portion of the table assembly and the triangular portion of the device along with encase balls can be rolled off of the bottom plate (which is stationary at the foot rail) to the racking spot and backed up against the front, flat surface of said bottom plate resulting in the lead ball of the rack being centered accurately, said ball rack device comprising: an encasement having a triangular configuration in plan view and having a base at one end; a triangular shaped, detachable bottom plate having slots on each side in plan view and having a base at one end; two spring-loaded hand knobs located on top surface of said triangular rack that is attached to a rod that exists on the bottom side of said triangular rack to form a right angled hook for the purpose of engaging or disengaging the bottom plate to and from said triangular rack. three small discs adhered and located on bottom side of the bottom plate in a triangular configuration.
 2. A ball rack device according to claim 1 wherein the length of the triangular, bottom plate is dependent upon the varying table sizes for the accurate centering of lead ball. 